


A Tale of One City

by genagirl



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: AU, M/M, fairytale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 02:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genagirl/pseuds/genagirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All they had was each other but that was all they needed to start a new life.</p><p> </p><p>A Sentinel Fable</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Tale of One City

A TALE OF ONE CITY

(A Sentinel Fable)

by Gena 

 

The world hadn’t always been dismal, bleak, and stagnant. In fact, it was rumored that once the world had been draped in green and enfolded under blue skies. Jim Ellison didn’t know if any of that was true but sometimes, in the dead of night when he lay alone, he liked to think it might have been so. His world had no blue nor green, it consisted of flat gray and dull silver. Jim, because of his birth, was a guardian. It was his duty to patrol The Compound and insure its peaceful state. He did not often entertain thoughts of the ancient times, not so many years after his schooling, but still among the other guardians he was considered a dreamer. Jim didn’t care, they left him in peace and for that he was grateful. He liked the quiet, he liked the ordered existence, the only thing he didn’t much care for was the loneliness. He had taken a companion at the prescribed age, but they had parted when she found another more to her liking. Jim hadn’t moved back to the men’s quarters, after being away, something told him confinement with others would not be desirable. He used his credit cheque and found a small apartment and indulged his solitary ways.

He spent most of his nights reading or doing endless exercises designed to increase his strength but these let his mind float free and once given wings he could not control his thoughts. Guardians, as a rule, were the most fit of the Citizens, they were there to make sure nothing went wrong. It was they who maintained order, though after so many generations those who occupied the Compound, the Others, rarely caused trouble. The Others went about their lessons, learning the old ways, studying the technology which supported the world and when their calling came, they went willingly. Guardians passed down stories from the ancient times when The Others were not so docile, when they would riot and attempt to escape the Compound. But centuries upon centuries had passed since those times and those of the Compound did not know the truth of their fate and so all was peaceful.

Jim readied himself for the long night, and made his way through the City to his station. Along the iron gray corridors he passed artistic renditions of the outside world. No one knew for sure if any of these paintings were accurate, it had been a long time since anyone had ventured beyond the thick metal walls of the City. A hundred miles across on any side and ten miles high, the City had been built to house Earth’s last citizens. Pollution and depleted resources back in the early years of the 21st century had led to drastic measures. In the beginning no one had wanted to live in the windowless towers, preferring to maintain their independence, but as water, air, land, and food grew scares, the Cities populations grew. Each City was a stranger to its neighbor, offering no welcoming words to travelers. It took a generation but finally no one ventured forth from the safety of the complex, leaving doors to become overgrown and forgotten. Only tales designed to frighten children remained of the outside world. Run by the Council of Founders, each Citizen found him or herself a much needed commodity in this dependent civilization. Boys and girls lived with their parents until their twelfth year, then they went to their assigned schools. Children of Guardians were trained as Guardians, children of workers were trained as workers, children of artists were trained as artists. It made no difference what your interests. Only the most gifted, the clever, the wily, became Others, they were sent to The Compound for education. And it was with this group of people that the fate of the City really rested, for when something went wrong, they had to fix it. When new sources of power, and light, and heat and water had to be found, they discovered it. When the old ways would no longer work, they make new ways. 

Jim threaded his way among the narrow streets, careful not to look at the shiny surfaces of neon reflected on the walls. One night a glittering sign had caught his attention, drawing him to its flickering beauty. He had stood for hours until a pair of Enforcers had come along. Jim could still remember coming back to himself when he hit the pavement. One of the Enforcers had shoved him roughly when he hadn’t responded to a verbal order, toppling him like oaks were once felled. The other, an Enforcer named Simon, had scowled at his partner, he had seen to it that Jim visited a Medcenter and had, in his nightly rounds, made contact with Jim since that time. They weren’t friends, but Jim liked the thought of at least one person who might miss him if he suddenly vanished. Disappearing to never be heard of again was a real possibility. He’d heard stories about Guardians who were injured or taken ill, the Council of Founders claimed these individuals were sent to special centers for therapy or if they were too ill, they were retired to a luxury level near the top of the City. None of the Guardians believed that, they knew that once a Guardian’s usefulness ended so did his or her life. If anyone ever found out Jim suffered mysterious blackouts, that sights and sounds sometimes overwhelmed him, Jim knew he would be sent to one of the centers and he would never return. He lived in dread of anyone ever discovering his secret. 

"Ellison," he said, showing his ID to the vidscreen and entering the elevator which would take him below. He liked the nights, they were peaceful down in the bowels of the City. Artificial night, even the taped sound of crickets and owls could make him smile.

The

Founders had done what they could to ensure the Compound stayed serene. Not like the other parts of the great tower. Even at this time of night, there would be activity up on the higher levels of the City. Up there the rich Founders lived round the clock lives, making life and death decisions during the day and partying at night. The lower you were on the social scale the lower your level in the City. Jim, himself, lived only two levels above The Compound but he didn’t mind. 

He stepped from the elevator and wandered among the miles of piping which brought recycled water up to the citizens and pumped recycled air through the vents. Few of the other Guardians come to their station this way, preferring the busy thoroughfares which bisected the City, but Jim favored the quiet route because it soothed his abused senses. Sometimes the noise of several million people carrying on with their lives threatened to drive him insane. Down here among the humming machines, he could block out most of the confusion. This half world of pipes and valves and pumps had a strange beauty, and here Jim felt a measure of comfort. He threaded his way to his station and lost himself in the mindless task of guarding the Others. 

Morning came with the sound of a whistle. Jim nodded to the guard who took his place and walked back the way he had arrived. 

Veering off the main channel, Ellison rounded a dark corner and came face to face with destiny. Staring into eyes much bluer than his own but just as round with surprise, Jim thought he could see the future and for the first time in his life possibilities existed there. This strange creature could only be from the Compound. He wore the simple green tunic and trousers marking him as one of the Others but here the sameness ended; his dark hair curled gently, framing a face like none Jim had ever seen before. Centuries of cosmetic advancement had offered every Citizen the opportunity to achieve their personal definition of beauty, and many accepted the offer, adding bits here, removing bits there. It was all well and good but a sameness had been achieved, blinding the eye to real beauty that of spirit. Ellison, himself, had declined the offer of augmentation, his naturally strong features and well muscled body more to his liking than anything on the catalog screen. But this wondrous apparition before him rivaled the Holostars for perfection, a glow shimmered in his eyes, an echo of the spirit within.

"Uh," the creature uttered a hesitant sound, "I’m

lost……"

Jim knew he had to take this beautiful young man back to the Compound, Others were not allowed outside for any reason. At that moment a small cart carrying a Maintenance worker rounded the corner. If he stepped out of the shadow and flagged the cart down, the Other would be taken back and his life would go on as it had for years. Jim stepped out of the shadows with every intention of flagging down that worker but at the last second he pulled the younger man back, concealing them both and covered his mouth with a large hand. 

Huddled together, hearts thundering in union, Jim felt tension drain from his body. 

"Oh, man," the Other whispered, "why did you do that?" Jim couldn’t answer, he had no idea why he had acted as he had. Nor did he had any idea what impulse had taken him over, for he found himself unable to release the Other. He carefully steered the man along beside him, and out of the Compound. 

"Keep quiet and we’ll be okay," Jim ordered. He chose their path, mindful of the others who would be returning home or venturing out. Only when he reached his own door, did Jim release the breath of fear he had carried. He turned to stare at the man before him, awed by the smile the Other wore. 

"You didn’t turn me in," the Other said quietly. "I’ve tried for ages to find out what was on the other side of the Wall. Guardians aren’t too fond of the curious," he said, rubbing at a bruise on his arm. Jim nodded. He would take this man back tomorrow, he just wanted someone to talk to tonight.

"I’m Jim," he said.

"Blair." And they talked, and they were silent together. They communicated with a glance or a touch, and Jim lost himself in Blair’s eyes time and time again. And when Blair was yawning with exhaustion, Jim told himself he could always get Blair back to the Compound the next night. But each night after the first Jim left for the Compound, determined to take Blair back with him and each night he left alone. Coming home after a night guarding the Compound, Jim’s fatigue and despair would drop away in the face of Blair’s enthusiastic greeting. The younger man would grin up at him, so happy he had returned, eager to brush away anything bad. Jim soaked in the warmth he felt, and found the contentment of Blair’s company harder and harder to resist. With Blair there, Jim found he didn’t like the quiet and solitude as much as he’d thought he did. Blair chattered on about a million things, he teased Jim into smiling but more importantly he found a way for Jim to control his runaway senses. They spent hours working on control, Blair devising methods for every situation. 

Blair made himself at home, sleeping in Jim’s bed while Jim did his duty to the City. When Jim came home, he liked to climb into bed and feel the warmth where Blair had lain, smell the scent left on his sheets and pretend he wasn’t alone. When he woke, it was as if he woke from a sleep of years and everything was new and he was different. Weeks passed, the other Guardians grumbled about an escape from the Compound but no one suspected Jim of harboring an Other. Jim grew bold, taking Blair out some evenings to the restaurants and shops on his level, but always warning Blair not to venture there alone. 

"What would they do if they knew I was an Other," Blair whispered. Jim stiffened, his hand clamping over Blair’s mouth with ruthless force.

"Shut up," he hissed. "Don’t ever say that." Blair blinked at him, pain in his eyes but nodded understanding. Jim sighed and released him. "I’m sorry, so sorry." He rested his forehead against Blair’s. "If they found out we would both be punished." They way Blair shivered when he said "punished" Jim knew the other man understood exactly what he meant. Every level told stories about the punishments meted out to those who broke the Law.

But each day when Jim left for the Compound Blair had nothing to do. He read the books Jim kept on his shelves, he watched the vids Jim brought home to him. But outside the window, people scurried along on errands. He heard voices and sometimes laughter and despite Jim’s dire warning about going out - he wanted it so bad. 

One evening Jim ruffled his hair and left and Blair knew that day would be the day he went outside. No one knew he was an Other, they had seen him with Jim, he would be safe.

He walked along the corridors, looking at the goods for sale. 

People stared at him, some with smiles some with frowns. There were so many things in the City, things people from the Compound were not allowed to have. There were clothes of colors he couldn’t even name, food which left his mouth watering, paintings which made him want to cry. Inside the Compound he had been taught circuits and systems and boring things all while denied comforts like he saw in the windows. A sadness filled Blair and he realized that having the things he saw would not make him happy. All he really wanted was to see Jim, and let the older man wrap an arm around his shoulders and call him "Chief" in that affectionate tone he used more and more often. 

Blair turned around and stopped. He didn’t know where Jim’s home was anymore. He was hopelessly lost.

Alone and scared, Blair wandered the corridors. People were no longer smiling at him, they hurried passed as if he were invisible. 

Shops closed and lights went out. With each step, Blair was more afraid than the last. Finally a light gleamed in the now dim halls and he headed towards it. A friendly looking man glanced up as he entered. "I am so glad to find you open," he sighed in relief. 

"Not use to the dark?" The man asked.

"Not really, in the Compound……" Panic shot through him. Blair saw realization dawn in the other man’s eyes. Faster than he would have thought possible, Blair was pinned to the floor. 

"I’m going to call the Enforcers," the man said, "I’ve got myself a runaway." He twisted Blair’s arms behind him, laughing when Blair cried out in pain, and tied him with cord. "You’ll be worth a lot of money to me." The man left him tied and went towards the comlink. 

Blair heard a noise and prepared himself for the brutal handling he knew he’d receive from the Enforcers. But gentle hands worked the ropes free of his wrists and lifted him to his feet. 

Jim had arrived to

rescue him.

They ran from the shop, Jim leading the way through the maze of halls until they were back at his apartment. 

Wordlessly he took

Blair into the bedroom and lay down with his arms around the other man. They had never be in the bed at the same time, and despite the fact he shook with fear, Blair thought it felt wonderful. Jim held him, his own shaking gradually easing, his face pressed against Blair’s throat. 

Blair never wanted to move, he wanted to stay with his friend forever, but worry ate at him. "Maybe I should turn myself in," Blair said in the darkness. He couldn’t face the thought of Jim being punished because of him.

"No!" Jim’s arms tightened around him and his breath came in frightened gasps. "I didn’t want to tell you," Jim whispered, "but if you went back to the Compound and survived the punishment you would still die."

Blair stared at him in the dim light. "What do you mean?"

Swallowing, Jim closed his eyes and buried his face in Blair’s curls. "I can’t lose you, Blair. The Others are kept in the Compound, working on plans to keep the City running. Once you stop coming up with inventive ways to do that, you’ll be taken to the Center and……and killed. The Council of Founders will have your body buried in the Garden and you’ll enrich the soil for our food." He whispered it all in a raw voice, tears leaking from beneath his eyelids. 

"I would die first, Blair. I would die rather than to let anything happen to you."

Blair was quiet a long time. He stroked a finger over Jim’s cheek, brought it to his mouth and tasted salty tears. He knew he too would die if asked to leave his friend’s side but he had to do something. "We run the City?" Jim nodded. "Can you sneak me back into the Compound? I have a plan." Jim looked at him, and the pain in his blue eyes made Blair turn away.

"You ask me to let you go," Jim said. He tucked Blair’s head tight against his chest, "and I can’t refuse you anything." All he’d wanted was someone to talk to, and now when he had found a reason to live, he was being asked to die. The night passed quickly, Jim savoring the feel of his friend safe beside him for the last time. He knew he loved Blair too much to keep him here against his will, and even if it meant death for them both he would do as his beloved had asked. When morning came, he and Blair threaded their way along the disused corridors and back to the Compound. At the entrance, he brushed his fingers over Blair’s face, memorizing each feature.

"It’s better like this," Blair said, but his voice shook. They stood a moment longer, then Blair threw himself into the other man’s arms, his breath a sob. "Don’t worry, okay?"

"Okay," Jim whispered, but his broken heart shone in his eyes. 

He stepped out of the embrace, lifted his hand in farewell and walked away. Blair watched him go, then slipped through the door and back into the Compound. 

Blair wasted no time in spreading the information Jim had given him. No one believed him, telling themselves this could not be the truth, but little by little everyone in the Compound came to see it for reality. They were being slaughtered. They were the foundation on which the City had been built and when they were no longer of use, they were the fertilizer for its Citizens. Outrage swept the Compound. 

Others met secretly, plotting the overthrow of the Citizens. When the day came, there was no fight. Barricaded within what had once been their prison, the Others fought. When the water no longer came out of the pipes, and the air in the upper levels grew stale, a delegation of Citizens met with the Others. They found their slaves not so gullible as they would have wished. The Others made it clear that no longer would they be treated as cattle. A pack was signed, and in a final act of defiance, the Others revealed a truth long withheld from Citizens - the outside world was no longer uninhabited. They declared that anyone who wanted to join them could come and make a new city - one where everyone was free. Citizens everywhere condemned the Others, sure that they were mad to attempt what they planned. All except one Citizen.

He sat in his apartment, watching the Others stream passed his window, heading for a new life. He wished them luck because somewhere within that mass of people was the only one he had ever loved, the only one who had ever loved him back. He had no one to talk to, no one to hold, but he no longer cared because Blair had been his friend and now he was free. 

But then the door burst open and Blair came running inside. 

"Jim!" Blair stumbled to a halt, shocked to see his friend so pale. Jim looked like he hadn’t eaten or slept in the weeks they had been parted. But when Jim smiled, his eyes lit up from within, and he opened his arms wide. "I couldn’t leave without you," Blair declared. 

They held each other in silence for a long, long time.

Blair felt it all in

Jim’s arms; his trembling, his tears and the love he carried inside. 

Still with their arms entangled, Blair tugged Jim from the room. 

Together they headed to the Wall and whatever awaited them on the other side. The Others had found the doors and cleared them and beyond the threshold a golden glow washed across the land. Jim and Blair joined the long line of people waiting to go outside. All they had was each other but that was all they needed to start a new life.

 

End…


End file.
